Junior Year Academic Strategy

Intensive support for managing the most rigorous academic year. Students receive bi-weekly coaching (18 sessions annually vs. 9 in earlier years) to navigate AP/IB/AICE coursework, maintain GPA under pressure, and develop resilience strategies. Academic coaching prevents the junior-year grade drop that undermines college applications.

College List Finalization

Development of a balanced college list (12-15 schools) with reach/match/safety categorization. Students research academic programs, campus culture, financial aid policies, and admission requirements. List includes geographic diversity, institutional variety, and realistic financial fit based on family circumstances.

Essay Topic Development

Brainstorming for personal statement and supplemental essays with a focus on compelling narrative development. Students identify meaningful experiences, articulate growth and impact, and understand what makes essays memorable. In the summer before senior year, students have a clear direction for essay writing.

SAT/ACT Mastery

Comprehensive test preparation with a personalized strategy based on diagnostic assessment. Students receive content review, practice-test analysis, time management techniques, and score-improvement tracking. Goal: Achieve target scores (1400+ SAT, 30+ ACT) that open doors to competitive colleges and merit scholarships.

Application Timeline Creation

Strategic planning for senior-year applications, including Early Decision/Early Action strategy, Regular Decision timeline, scholarship deadlines, and essay planning. Timeline prevents senior-year scrambling and ensures students meet all deadlines with high-quality materials.

Recommendation Letter Strategy

Guidance on selecting recommenders, building relationships with teachers, and providing materials that enable strong letters. Students learn to request recommendations professionally, share "brag sheets" that highlight achievements, and understand how letters impact admission decisions.